Summertime Pack Award for Individual Scouts

[Greg Nelson]

How would y'all rule on this?

 

For the Summertime Pack Award, packs need to offer one event each in June, July, and August. Scouts must attend all of these events to earn their pin.

 

Now, suppose a pack offers 5 events - 2 in June, 2 in July, 1 in August.

 

Does the Scout need to attend:

 

1) All 5 events?

2) One event in each month?

3) Any three events?

4) Three specific events designated as the "official" events for the award?

5) Some other option?

 

Thoughts?

 

[WDleader]

I reading of this Award is one a month during the summer.

[cubbingcarol]

I agree with WDleader. A boy must attend 1 pack planned activity per summer month. Our pack has at least 2 planned activities per month so that the boys have a better chance of earning the award. Not to mention keeping them involved during the summer.

 

Carol

[EagleInKY]

We try to do like Carol, offer more than one activity. Cub needs to participate in at least one of them during the each month.

[gavvin]

We just joined a new pack where I became Asst. CM. The pack is somewhat disorganized and the CM was thrust into the job this year because no one else would step up. Only half of the leaders are trained, the dens meet every other week and they were not going to have a summertime program.

 

Since I was doing Wood Badge as we joined the pack, I made one of my ticket items to plan and execute a summertime program.

 

We planned at least 2 activities per month so that the scouts would have a good chance of being able to make at least one of them. As I read the requirements, one activity per month is all that is needed, regardless of how many are actually held.

 

So far we have scheduled a nature hike where we will work on Leave No Trace, July 4th baseball game/fireworks, swimming, roller skating, picnic/ice cream social, and a conservation project.

 

I would be interested to know what other packs are doing for a summer program.

 

Gavvin

[johndaigler]

We start summer with participation in a Memorial Day Parade (counting this as a June Pack activity for the purposes of Summertime Pack Award) and end summer with participation in a Labor Day Parade (counting for August). If a Cub attends Day Camp (planned in July, naturally) that covers it. Then, to offer additional opportunities for the boys, we also plan at least one other activity per month (June - campfire/cookout; July - AA Baseball game; and August - Pack Overnighter).

 

In Greg's case - attending one event each month covers the individual Cub.

 

jd

[committee member]

One per month is all that is required. Offering two per month so that everyone has a better chance of earning it is great. We also are marching in the Memorial Day parade, having a pack overnighter followed by Sunday morning worship service at our campsite. This is an option for the outdoor activity award for Webelos. (It helps to know a pastor to drag to camp). We have a family day picnic in which the pack provides hot dogs and families bring side dishes followed by an optional campout. This is a great way to get parents more involved, and a great opportunity to work towards your "pack 75th award". We have also planned a field trip to an animal rescue farm. Our local State park is holding a "meteor shower campout" in August to view the Persium meteors. This works towards the sumertime pack award and the astronomy pin in the sports and academics program. There's more planned but this is getting too long already.

Basically check with your local and state parks for events they are hosting. Many of them will tie into something with scouts. Also check with the Army Corp. of Engineers. They will sometimes create a program to help scouts earn badges. Our state park is holding a Geology Badge class and will put together Forester Badge classes if I take them the requirements.

[acco40]

The Pack Award (Ribbon) is for the Pack. Having a Pack activity each month and having at least a 50% participation level is required.

 

Den Participation Ribbon - for den who participated (at least 50% of their boys participated in an event each month).

 

Individual Pins - who attended an activity each month. (i.e. all three pertains to the three months)

[Cubmaster-Fred]

Acco is correct except for one small item.

 

The pack must plan and conduct at least one event each of the three months. There is no attendance requirement for the Pack award.

 

cmf

[SWScouter]

One more thing. The activities need to be pack activities, den activities don't count.

[Torveaux]

Our Pack is improving! One of our initiatives is adding the NSPA to our program. We planned two activities per month as well.

 

June (service project / camping trip )

 

July (MLB baseball game / picnic)

 

August (Bike rodeo / tree planting [75th ann'y item])

 

The events are spread out so families on vacation will not be automatically excluded.

 

If you check out the form, the Pack does not need 50%, only the Dens need it.

 

I saw web site for a Pack in Ohio that gives the pins to scouters as well? Has anyone seen/heard of such a thing? Is it official?

 

 

[jens3sons]

This year our pack has planned things for the summer as follows:

 

June: An over night campout at a local forest preserve.

Kane County Cougars Baseball Game (Council sponsored, w/ a scout parade on the field and fireworks after)

Attending the Elk's Lodge Flag Ceremony on Flag Day

July: Participation in the 4th of July Parade

Letter Drive to the Troops

August: Food Drive

Service Project for the Elementary School where we will be repairing about 8 benches.

 

Each year we try and offer a number of items for the boys to attend. We require at least three attendances to earn the summer time pack activity pin. Each year we try and do an additional service project for the school, besides the Beautification day, as a thank you to the school for hosting us throughout the year (they are not our chartering organization). Last year we took apart the brick courtyard, re-leveled it, and put it all back together again. We have some really awesome pictures of it on our website @ www.ilpack64.com The benches pictured surrounding the courtyard are the ones we will be repairing this summer. The boys loved getting to work the compactor last year, and we are hoping to continue to expose them to different power tools etc. I hope this helped with some ideas.

 

Jens3sons

[Rixkidz]

INTRODUCTION

Cub Scouting is a year-round program, September thru August. As such, it is the responsiblitiy of every Scouting unit to ensure a quality Cub program, even during the summer. During the months of June, July, and August, Cub Scouts and their families can participate in Scouting activities that are educational and fun. A full summer program keeps a pack healthy, parents interested, and Cub Scouts eager to register for another year.

 

Participating in these Summertime activities also gives the Cub Scout, his Den, and the Pack an opportunity to earn the National Summertime Pack Award, an important component of the Quality Unit Program.

 

REQUIREMENTS

All the Pack has to do is plan and conduct a monthly Pack activity for June, July, and August. The whole idea is to keep your pack together and doing things during the summer when boys have the most free time.

 

RECOGNITIONS

A Pack committee member should keep the record of activities, participation of Dens, and attendance of individual Cub Scouts.

 

Submit the application form to the local council service center as soon after your August activity as possible.

 

An appropriate Pack meeting ceremony should be planned for the presentation of the awards, which are:

 

For the Pack - A full-color certificate suitable for framing and an attractive streamer for the Pack flag.

 

For the Dens of the award earning Pack - A Den ribbon for each den that has 50% or more of its boys participating in each of the three activities.

 

For the boys of the award earning Pack - A Summertime Pin for each boy who takes part in all three (3) of the summer monthly activities.

 

PLANNING

Use a planning chart as a place to record your proposed and completed Pack's activities.

 

Planning for summertime activities should be a part of the annual program planning conference. At that conference, leaders accept the challenge to earn the National Summertime Pack Award. The Pack committee should make suggestions for activities. Check themes in Cub Scout Program Helps, and, if desired, appoint a task force to give leadership to the summer program.

 

At the April Pack leader meeting, this task force should have specific recommendations to make. Parents and families should be involved from the beginning, but make this an item on the agenda for the April Pack meeting.

 

Schedule your plans around family vacation times. Get ideas at roundtables. Secure a list of community events as well as district and council events in which your Pack can participate. Avoid date conflicts. Do not schedule a Pack activity at the same time as a major community event that the families may want to take part in. However, some pack meetings may coincide with and be a part of some major events.

 

Check with members of your chartered organization to get their full support for your plans and to be sure that there is no conflict with events they have scheduled.

 

Use the summertime program as a way to bring more boys into the Cub Scout family. Graduate Tiger Cubs in May so they can participate as new Cub Scouts. Invite Cub Scout-age boys and their families to take part as guests. It is a great opportunity for them to see firsthand the fun of Cub Scouting. Form new dens as needed.

 

Webelos Den Leaders can use summertime activities to support activity badges. Plan trips, tours, and sports events around the badges on which the boys are working.

 

Use parents as organizers and leaders of activities. Involve all family members - grandparents, brothers, sisters. Any family member who may have been too busy to be active during fall and spring should be asked to help with the summer program.

 

Promote the summertime program as being great for those families who will not be going away on vacation. Make your plans sound like an at-home vacation.

 

Don't forget to get a tour permit for each summer activity, for Council approval and insurance purposes.

 

From:

http://www.well.com/www/sthomas/pack314/Summertime_Award_Requirements.html

[Greg Nelson]

That's great, but the official line is silent on what to do about the individual and den awards if your pack offers MORE than three events.

 

It sounds as if most of you require one attendance per month, and a few just require three total attendances over the summer. Also, some of you are creative about your definitions of "June" and "August".

 

In the past, our pack has required any three events, without paying attention to the months. This time around, I think we'll try to go with the one event per month rule, and see if anything blows up.

 

[jens3sons]

Greg,

Yes, I agree, a lot of us are creative when it comes to our "June & August" requirements...however, I think a lot of that comes from necessity. When dealing with your meeting place in a public school, often times they will not let groups meet in their meeting place in those months. Although school is still in attendance, they are either preparing to shut down the school for the summer, or they are still setting things up at the start of the year. This year we however are not being "creative" as we have in the past. And yes, I know a lot of them could be planned at other locations etc, but I don't know about you, but come the last 2 school years of the month I am starting to get a little "burned out" with planning and so is my committee. We look forward to a bit of a break over the summer as well.

Now, I tend to be leinient on the "one each month" by requiring only 3 attendances, because someone is always going to be on vacation etc, and there is no way of guaranteeing a time when everyone will be around. We try and offer at least 6 activities over the summer (this summer we have 7 planned). I know my pack, and a lot of our activities are service projects, and my boys work hard to give back to the community that gives so much to them. I would feel horrible if my hard working boys were unable to attend one event and thus not earn their pin because vacations that had been planned months ago, were to get in the way.(This message has been edited by jens3sons)